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Nofollow vs. Dofollow Backlinks—understand their role in SEO, link building, and rankings. Learn when and how to use each to grow your site traffic and authority.
🧭 Why Do Backlink Types Even Matter?
If you’re working on improving your website’s SEO, you’ve probably come across the terms “dofollow” and “nofollow”. But what do they actually mean? And more importantly—how do they impact your rankings on Google?
Backlinks are like digital recommendations. When one website links to another, it’s essentially saying, “Hey, this content is worth checking out.” But not all links carry the same weight in Google's eyes. That’s where dofollow and nofollow come in.
Let’s break this down so you can use both types smartly and grow your site the right way.
🔗 What Are Dofollow Links?
A dofollow link is your traditional hyperlink. It’s the kind Google loves, because it passes link equity (a.k.a. "link juice") from one website to another.
How Dofollow Links Help You Rank
Imagine getting a shout-out from a reputable website like Forbes or Moz. If that link is a dofollow, Google sees it as a vote of confidence. The more high-quality dofollow links you earn, the more search engines will trust your content—and the better your chances of ranking higher.
Example:
<a href="https://yourwebsite.com">Check out this awesome post</a> → Dofollow by default unless told otherwise.
🚫 What Are Nofollow Links?
Nofollow links are a bit different. These links include a special attribute in the HTML code that tells search engines not to pass link juice.
Example:
<a href="https://yourwebsite.com" rel="nofollow">Read this post</a>
Why Do Sites Use Nofollow?
They’re useful when you want to link to a site but not endorse it. Think: blog comments, sponsored content, affiliate links, or untrusted sources. In 2019, Google updated how it handles nofollow links—now treating them as “hints” instead of strict rules, meaning they might still impact SEO in some cases.
⚖️ Dofollow vs. Nofollow: Key Differences
| Feature | Dofollow Links | Nofollow Links |
|---|---|---|
| Passes SEO Value | ✅ Yes | ❌ Not directly |
| Helps with Rankings | ✅ Yes | 🚫 Not guaranteed |
| Search Engine Behavior | Follow and index | Might ignore, might crawl |
| Common Use Cases | Editorial content, authority | Ads, forums, blog comments |
Both have their place—and you need a mix of both to look natural to Google.
🔍 When to Use Dofollow vs. Nofollow Links
✔ Use Dofollow When:
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Linking to trusted, high-quality resources
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Creating internal links between your blog posts
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Writing guest posts or receiving editorial links
🚫 Use Nofollow When:
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You’re linking to paid or sponsored content
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You're citing a questionable or unknown source
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You’re handling user-generated content (UGC) like forums or blog comments
Google even recommends using rel="sponsored" for paid links and rel="ugc" for user-generated content.
🛠 How to Check a Link Type (Quick & Easy)
1. Manual Method
Right-click any link, select “Inspect”, and check for rel="nofollow" in the code.
2. Use SEO Tools
Try tools like:
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Ubersuggest
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Ahrefs
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MozBar (Chrome Extension)
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Screaming Frog SEO Spider
These tools help you scan entire sites and backlink profiles to see which links are nofollow vs. dofollow.
🎯 Why Both Types Matter for SEO
You might be thinking: “If only dofollow links help me rank, why bother with nofollow?”
Great question.
Here’s why you need both:
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Nofollow links still bring traffic (especially from forums or social media)
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Google expects a natural mix of both link types
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They help prevent penalties for unnatural link building
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Nofollow links can lead to future dofollows (when people discover your content)
Plus, big sites like Wikipedia, Reddit, and Quora use nofollow links—and they still drive MASSIVE traffic!
🔄 What’s a Good Nofollow:Dofollow Ratio?
There’s no official rule, but SEO experts suggest aiming for:
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70–90% dofollow
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10–30% nofollow
Too many dofollow links from spammy sites? That’s a red flag to Google. Keep it balanced and focus on earning links naturally.
💡 Smart Link Building Tips
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Guest posting on niche-relevant blogs (dofollow)
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Answering on Quora/Reddit (nofollow but high exposure)
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Commenting with value on industry blogs
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Broken link building—find broken dofollow links and suggest your content
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Creating linkable assets (like guides, stats, tools)
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Earning press mentions or PR coverage
Build links with purpose. Not just for rankings—but for trust, authority, and long-term traffic.
❓FAQs About Dofollow & Nofollow Links
1. Can nofollow links still help SEO?
Yes. They may not pass PageRank, but they help diversify your link profile, drive traffic, and signal legitimacy to Google.
2. How do I get more dofollow backlinks?
Create valuable content, reach out for guest posts, earn media mentions, and offer tools or infographics others want to link to.
3. Should internal links be dofollow or nofollow?
Always use dofollow for internal links unless you have a very specific reason to hide a page from Google (e.g., login or checkout).
4. What is rel="sponsored"?
It tells Google a link is part of paid/sponsored content. Use it for affiliate links or ads to stay compliant with Google’s guidelines.
5. Can too many nofollow links hurt my rankings?
No. Nofollow links don’t hurt you—but relying on them alone won’t help you grow your domain authority.
6. Do social media links help SEO?
They’re nofollow, but they help brand signals, traffic, and visibility. So yes, indirectly, they support your SEO efforts.
🔚 Final Thoughts: Mastering Link Equity
In the end, dofollow and nofollow backlinks are both essential to a strong SEO strategy. While dofollow links directly boost your authority, nofollow links help build trust, traffic, and balance.
Focus on:
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Creating high-quality, useful content
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Earning dofollow links naturally
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Using nofollow where appropriate
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Monitoring your link profile with tools
Do this consistently, and you’ll build a backlink strategy that stands the test of time—and Google’s ever-changing algorithms.
